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Sunday, June 20, 2010

Is Creativity Inherited?..

Recent conversations with creative friends has led me to reflect on how I've got to where I am in my jewellery design pursuits. And I'm well overdue in giving credit to my wonderful mother for all the creative opportunities she afforded me growing up!

My mother, Marguerite, has always had an artistic bent and began pottery classes while I was just a pre-schooler. She was very, very good and soon became a well known and successful identity in the NZ pottery world with work regularly exhibited in galleries and membership of collectives 'Parade of Hands' gallery on Napier's Marine Parade and 'Gallery at the Mission' at the exclusive Mission in Taradale, Napier.

While accomplished at the more traditional potting discipline of 'wheel work' producing plates, bowls, vases, mugs etc, I believe her best work, and certainly a passion , was her freeform designs - very realistic boot garden planters, dragons, 'mogwais', frogs, ducks - so realistic, you often expected them to speak! We are very lucky to have a few examples in our garden...

On the demise of her kiln, and with cold, wet clay not reacting well with arthritis, a few years ago my mother hung up her pottery tools and moved back to an old love - painting. Currently working with her preferred medium of acrylics, I love her abstract designs and wish I had just half the artistic talent.

So , as you can imagine with such a talented mother, as well as learning at home, I got to join with her and go to night classes to learn lots of fascinating disciplines (I've also dragged her along to a few) - wool spinning, weaving, calligraphy, knitting, crocheting, bone carving, batik, and sewing.

And I know I complained my 10 year old butt off at being dragged to what felt like every art gallery in Europe Mum, but, secretly ......it was pretty cool - thank you!!

A very touching post. I hope my daughter can say the same about me one day. I encourage her creativity and I must say she is a very creative soul. She loves paper crafts and jewellery making. I do love the painting on the bottom right of your post.

Just a little bit about me...

Wildflower is my creative outlet. A balance to the 8-3 working day and family responsibilities!!
I love the endless possibilities of jewellery design and creation - colour, shape, form, and the variety of different media that can be used. I always work to the mantra - beautiful, unique, simple, and affordable! I have met some fantastically inspirational fellow crafters and enjoy sharing experiences and ideas. Please feel welcome to comment on any item in my blog!